The philosophy of Gevalor in the development of urban waste recovery sectors is based on the following considerations:

1) Like populations of the North, the populations involved have the right to an on-going service of household refuse management protective both of their health and their quality of life.

2) Due to differences in the standards of living and of economic development between the populations of developing countries and the populations of the North, it is not possible to transpose the long-term approaches of the North to the South. It is therefore necessary to define approaches taking specific local aspects into consideration.

It is for instance impossible to replicate French waste management methods which cost around a thousand Euros per tonne.

The main parameters characterising the countries of the South and having a major impact on the method of household waste management are the following:

Socio-economic parameters:

-Low standards of living and availability of cheap manual labour.-Urban type of demography often in rapid growth, hazardous urban planning, particularly conductive to the development of epidemics. -Poor municipal authorities having little means to invest in or cover operating costs for the collection of waste using modern methods. -High proportion of non-directly recoverable matter in household waste such as organic substances.-Lack of easily recoverable components (metals and various objects, etc.) in the household waste as these are immediately recycled. -Limited development of industrial production with relatively high transport costs and restricted maintenance capacities of complex equipment.-Market gardening activity often well-developed around towns and frequently suffering from a lack of inputs at affordable prices. -High price of energy in relation to the standard of living.

Geographical and climatic parameters:- Hot climate favouring rapid breakdown of organic substances. - Variable humidity according to the climates. - Frequent significant presence of sandy elements in the waste, with these elements coming from wind or other sources.

Gevalor thus adapts household waste management methods taking into account specific local aspects. It avoids in particular using sophisticated equipment both at the level of collection and processing, because this type of equipment needs major investments, energy as well as servicing and maintenance: Gevalor gives preference instead to simple, sturdy items of equipment, which are repairable in situ and possibly necessitating many manual workers.

In order to avoid the development cost of selective sorting at the source, Gevalor promotes the sorting of organic substances combining manual sorting and mechanical sorting (sifting by rotating drum, magnetic separation, sorting by rebound and adherence, etc.)

Waste recycling is adapted to the local situation. The manufacture of compost that can be locally recycled into semi-urban agriculture will often be perceived favourably. Depending upon the case, it is possible to recycle inert items (sand and soils) into civil engineering and plastic materials and other combustible products (sawdust) for manufacturing products (paving stones, bricks etc.) or as combustible items. Similarly, papers and cardboard will be either recycled (compost or paper), or recovered in the form of energy.

Every new product (for example compost for agriculture, paving stones in plastic material) is the subject of demonstration and marketing and publicity activities for the purpose of developing its use.

Furthermore, Gevalor produces a technical-economic evaluation to ensure that the types of recycling that are considered not only create employment but are also a long-term benefit from the economic viewpoint (balancing of income and expenditure)

Consequently, the effect on the reduction of greenhouse gas effect emissions is regarded as an economic factor (proceeds from sale of carbon credits)